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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29389629">A Will to Live</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACatWhoWrites/pseuds/ACatWhoWrites'>ACatWhoWrites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Asphyxiation, Boyfriends, Established Relationship, Faked Suicide, M/M, Mental Anguish, Murder, NHEV, No Happy Ending Fest, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Revenge, Unhappy Ending, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:14:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,385</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29389629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACatWhoWrites/pseuds/ACatWhoWrites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>To free his mother from her marriage, Baekhyun plans a double murder.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Kim Jongin | Kai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>No Happy Ending Fest - 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Will to Live</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><b>Prompt #:</b> Self-Prompt<br/><b>Prompt:</b> Jongin is dating Baekhyun, who hates his own father and blames him for his parents' failed marriage and his mother's depression.<br/>Baekhyun's dad is dating Sehun, Jongin's best friend.<br/>Baekhyun finds out his dad is serious when he finds documents leaving all of his legacies to Sehun, rather than his son and ex-wife.<br/>Jongin doesn't know any of this, only finding out when Baekhuyn admits to murdering his father.<br/><b>Pairing/Main Character(s):</b> Baekhyun, Baekhyun/Kai<br/><b>Side Characters(if any):</b> Sehun, Kai, original characters<br/><b>Word Count:</b> 4,415<br/><b>Warning(s)/Additional Tag(s):</b> graphic murder and violence, mentions of blood<br/><b>Author's note:</b> I was inspired by an episode of a variety show I really enjoy, a friend's family, and all the crime documentaries I watch. Some people really should never have married, and they should never <i>stay</i> married, yet they do, and they suffer, and their children suffer. The national (American) average cost of divorce is about $150,00 per person. The average funeral is $7,000-$12,000. Death is cheaper.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Baekhyun checks his phone in the morning. There are numerous texts, all asking the same question: Did he see Sehun's message?</p><p>He opens it and turns off his phone. Turning to Jongin, he pushes his shoulder a bit until his boyfriend murmurs and rolls over, and he kisses his cheek.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Jongin. Sehun died last night."</p><p>That doesn't sound right to Jongin. A weird dream.</p><p>He wakes up later, and Baekhyun hugs him. "I'm so sorry."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It's suicide.</p><p>“I didn’t know he was...sick…” Jongin says, slowly looping his tie around itself but not knotting it. “He seemed normal; he never mentioned being sad or frustrated or anything. He was doing well—”</p><p>Hands cover his and take the tie from his nervous fingers. “Tormenting yourself won’t help any. Read the news, and families left behind all say the same thing as you: There are often no signs; nothing anyone could’ve done.” He fumbles with the tie before removing it and putting it on himself, tying it loosely and looping it back over Jongin’s head and neck. He lets his hand rest over his boyfriend's erratic pulse. “Nothing you could’ve done.”</p><p>Jongin sighs and lets his boyfriend tighten the tie and straighten his collar. “I know...It’s just—It’s also so soon after—” His voice breaks; his throat is thick with tears, and he covers his face, bending down to lean on Baekhyun’s shoulder.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Jongin." Baekhyun kisses his ear, leaning back a little with Jongin's weight. "Maybe it was necessary, somehow. Who can say for certain?"</p><p>After a shuddering breath, Jongin nods and pulls away. He wipes his face with a tissue, and they leave the apartment once they're dressed. A taxi waits for them at the curb; Baekhyun didn't want Jongin to have to sit on a crowded bus or train feeling so miserably.</p><p>Sehun's family sheds fresh tears when they see Jongin. Everyone acknowledges how close they were, more like brothers than friends.</p><p>Baekhyun offers and accepts condolences with stiff bows and handshakes. He's never been good with heavy emotion. Happiness is one thing, but sadness is clinging and heavy. Give him time, and he'll vent until exhausted on his own, usually acting out in a video game followed by a long nap.</p><p>But everyone's different. Many people are crying; others are pink-cheeked and obviously putting on a brave face; still others are seemingly void of all emotion and just going through the motions.</p><p>"You're late." Baekhyun rolls his eyes and looks to his left, where his dad is seated on the low stone wall. "I'd offered to pick you up."</p><p>"We made it, didn't we? I can manage on my own." If anyone thought it odd, seeing Baekhyun's father without Baekhyun, it's just a passing thought. "Find anyone younger and more available than the dead kid?"</p><p>"<i>Baekhyun!</i>" his dad hisses. "No matter what you think of me, have <i>some</i> respect." Sure. Respect for the guy who was banging his dad.</p><p>Before he can reply, Baekhyun feels a hand closing around his own and squeezes the familiar fingers. Jongin isn't crying anymore, but his eyes are swollen and face flushed, smeared tear stains glistening in the filtered sunlight.</p><p>Baekhyun pulls him close with an arm around his back and leaves his dad without a backwards glance.</p><p>Sitting through a eulogy, prayers, and comments from friends and family about Sehun's character and what he contributed to their own lives, Baekhyun zones out. He feels Jongin shift beside him, offers a bracing hand on the knee or to hold onto, otherwise he doesn't see or hear the service.</p><p>Oh Sehun <i>had</i> to die.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“After the division of the sum to my sons, the remainder and majority of my estate is bequeathed to Oh Sehun, whom I’ve come to love and cherish more than I ever dreamed.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Some day, Baekhyun is going to kill his father.</p><p>He reads the block of text sent by his mom, a glossed-over explanation that boils down to: Your father is stalling, and our divorce is still on hold. Pick up some wine on your way home.</p><p>Once upon a time, they were in love. It was a whirlwind romance that should have blown over, but she got pregnant, and they married out of a sense of obligation to their surprise family. </p><p>Could’ve stopped there, but no.</p><p>The romance died, but in an attempt to keep it from fizzling completely, they have Baekhyun. His childhood wasn’t terrible by any means; he was well provided for and had many friends, but he sensed the growing tension and distance between his parents.</p><p>There were also his dad’s numerous “good friends,” all younger and prettier and sometimes wealthier.</p><p>That’s all fine. He can date whomever he wants, but the marriage should never have happened, yet he doesn’t seem to want a divorce.</p><p>Baekhyun’s brother moves out just before graduating high school. Their parents separate, and Baekhyun splits his time between their homes, mostly to take his dad for everything he can and also because Mongryong adores him. When a dog sitter is needed, Dad has no complaints.</p><p>Anyone who says dogs are great judges of character are lying. Baekhyun’s dad has awful character. Only a villain could refuse a woman divorce and bleed her limited resources—thanks to years of depending on a working husband while being a stay-at-home mom—to the brink of bankruptcy.</p><p>The only good thing about him is his business sense. With insurance, he's worth a lot more dead than alive. </p><p>Baekhyun wonders just how valueable the man's life is. </p><p>“Hey, Dad. Do you have a will?”</p><p>“Of course. Why?”</p><p>“Just wondering if I’ll have to work again once you kick it.”</p><p>The man sighs, rolling his eyes. “You won’t enjoy an early retirement on millions, but you will inherit.”</p><p>“What about Mom?”</p><p>“...She’s in it, too.”</p><p>“She’s your <i>wife</i>; she should be the main beneficiary, not just 'in it.'” Baekhyun wonders if she has updated her will or if she’s even written one. He’s been pestering her to make one for years, since the first discussions of leaving her husband’s apartment.</p><p>Just about everything is under his name. Very few titles list both names.</p><p>“We discussed it, and we agreed that our money is our own to do what we want with.”</p><p>“Because she has so much of her own money, from all those years of not working and raising <i>your</i> children. Why won’t you just fork over the papers to finalize the divorce and be done with it?”</p><p>“Baek—I’m not going to get into this again. The end of it is that it’s none of your business, so drop it.” The doorbell rings; Baekhyun brushes passed his dad.</p><p>“I’d rather you drop dead.” He spies his boyfriend through the fisheye peephole and opens the door with a smile.</p><p>Jongin greets Baekhyun with a fond smile and brief kiss. “Hi.”</p><p>“Hello. C’mon in.” Dropping to his haunches as Jongin steps out of his shoes, Baekhyun throws out his arms and is bombarded with Poodles. “Puppies!” Mongryong bounds into the fray, eagerly sniffing and licking and jumping up against Jongin’s legs to be pet.</p><p>His dad ambles by. “Hello, Jongin. You’re looking well.”</p><p>Jongin pulls his sleeves over his hands and bows shallowly, half-smiling as though in pain. “Thanks.”</p><p>“I wish you’d asked before inviting someone over, Baekhyun.”</p><p>“You’re heading out. What’s it matter?”</p><p>Ignoring the remark, he says, “Lock the door, if you leave. I’ll be home late.”</p><p>“Another hot date?” They stare at one another for a moment, then his dad leaves. Baekhyun follows Jongin to the sofa and lies on him. “My dad’s an ass.”</p><p>“That’s nothing new.”</p><p>“I swear I am going to kill him one of these days,” Baekhyun mutters darkly. Letting his arms lie flat down their sides, he tucks his chin so his cheek is over Jongin’s heart.</p><p>The calming beat soothes him, somewhat, and he groans, tucking his hands under Jongin’s back.</p><p>“What did he do this time?”</p><p>“Same old, same old. He’s just such a shit human being—Not even a human! He’s once again resisting Mom’s lawyer and requests for some papers or whatever to move forward with the divorce.” It’s been a long time coming; they were never happy together, yet Mr. Byun has been dragging his feet since he was served.</p><p>Mongryong sniffs Baekhyun’s elbow and licks it. He flops onto his back when nudged, and Baekhyun rubs the soft belly with one hand while feeling for the television remote with the other.</p><p>Jongin likes reading or dozing in silence; Baekhyun can’t stand it. There are always documentaries on during this time of day. He types in one of his favorite channels and catches the tail end of an allergy pill commercial.</p><p>“What is with you and true crime documentaries?”</p><p>Baekhyun tucks his hands beneath his boyfriend again. “They’re educational.”</p><p>“They’re gross and creepy… Don’t you think they’re exploitative, too? Airing and examining things that destroyed families.”</p><p>“Hey, one day you’ll see me starring in one of these, after I kill that bastard father of mine.”</p><p>“Don’t joke about that...”</p><p>“Who’s joking?”</p><p>Jongin sighs. He crosses his arms over Baekhyun, shifting a bit more to get comfortable, and closes his eyes after checking that his own dogs are behaving.</p><p> “Where do you even keep a will?”</p><p>He feels Baekhyun’s chin on his chest and opens his eyes. “What?”</p><p>“Where do you keep a will? Like, is it something you save on the computer, file with a lawyer, lock in a safe…?”</p><p>Jongin shrugs as much as he can. “I honestly have no idea. It probably depends on the person.”</p><p>“Some vain and stuck-up and conniving.” Like Baekhyun’s dad.</p><p>“I dunno. Could be anywhere. Why are you interested in his will?”</p><p>“I asked him about it earlier, and he said my mom and I were in it, but it didn’t sound like a big part. The spouse is usually the main beneficiary.”</p><p>“Isn’t it better to get something more than nothing?”</p><p>“I don’t want to inherit any of my dad’s crap.” He has little use for golf equipment and slides of photographs. “But I want to know how much of a cut my mom would get. She deserves it all, for what she’s put up with.”</p><p>“There is no law about who inherits what in a will." Without a legal will, the spouse and children of the deceased are entitled to one half of the estate. Within a will, anything goes, and someone could simply give property away to anyone they want when alive. "Your dad can list whoever he wants.”</p><p>“It’s just not fair.” His mother deserves better.</p><p>Jongin rubs his hands up and down Baekhyun’s back. They’ve been friends for longer than they’ve dated, and Jongin has witnessed the ups and downs of Baekhyun’s mood towards his parents. His dad, in particular, can transform Baekhyun from happy-go-lucky to moody blues with a single look.</p><p>Especially if the look is at Jongin or one of their friends.</p><p>He extends an invitation for Jongin to stay over, but he's not wholly unhappy when his boyfriend declines and says he wants to practice a routine at the dance studio. They say goodbye in the open door, sharing a kiss that would melt the finish off the flooring.</p><p>Once Jongin's gone, Baekhyun heads to his dad's home office. It's the most logical place for any important document to be; maybe he'll get lucky.</p><p>Being an electrical engineer, his dad has a lot of manuals, pamphlets, and blue prints of a lot of technology that Baekhyun can read but not fully understand. He's great at using technology, not building it.</p><p>Flipping through a pile of loose papers, a business card pops out and tumbles to the floor. It's a client or investor; Baekhyun stuffs it back indiscriminately.</p><p>Filing cabinets are neatly ordered with labelled folders that don't show any promise. There is an old drawing Baekhyun had made on the very bottom of the drawer, its edges worn and tearing.</p><p>The shallow drawers of the desk only hold office supplies. A box of paper clips is crushed, too tall to fit properly; most of the clips are scattered throughout the drawer among crumbs and rubber bands.</p><p>"This is ridiculous," Baekhyun mutters, shoving the drawer shut. He unbends and reshapes a large paper clip, rolling it between his fingers as he opens a narrow closet door and peers inside.</p><p>A safe sits on the floor at the back, beneath a banker box of printer paper and mostly hidden by golf clubs, coats, and a vaccuum cleaner that all have better places to be stored.</p><p>Baekhyun and his dad share the "wherever it fits" philosophy of cleaning.</p><p>The safe is locked, but rather than a passcode, it's just a key lock. He remembers a pair of keys on a small keyring in one of the drawers.</p><p>"May as well keep the key in the lock, dumbass..."</p><p>Hauling everything out, Baekhyun sits on his heels and unlocks the safe. The lid is heavy; it's a fireproof safe. Inside is a stack of envelopes and loose papers, with a pile of passports on top.</p><p>Flipping open the oldest one, Baekhyun wrinkles his nose, recognizing his own features in his dad's face.</p><p>He flips through insurance policies, a birth certificate, car titles, some things about Baekhyun's grandparents, and finally finds an envelope titled with a date, declaration of the will inside, and three signatures.</p><p>Baekhyun pulls it out with a soft exclamation of success. When he reads the names signed on the envelope, his heart slips into his gut as his blood pressure increases, thumping in his ears and temples until his eyes hurt and turn his vision red.</p><p>Now, why would Oh Sehun, a close friend, have witnessed his father's last will and testament? And why would he not mention it?</p><p>Opening a will before the testator's death is illegal, but Baekhyun remembers watching someone use steam to loosen the glue and goes to the kitchen to boil a pot of water.</p><p>After reading the will, he makes tea that does nothing to calm his nerves but spurs an idea.</p><p>For it to work, Oh Sehun must die.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun tags along with Jongin to the dance studio, goofing off as he tries to keep up with their choreography, and asks Sehun if they could hang out one of the days Jongin is working.</p><p>Sehun shrugs, unaware of his impending fate. "Sure." They agree on a date, and Baekhyun shows up a day early.</p><p>Death comes calling.</p><p>And Death writes a text message: I’m sorry to do this, but I can’t stand the lies and hiding anymore. I don’t want to hurt anyone more than they’ve already been hurt. This is the only way I can fix things, sparing my friends and family and myself. </p><p>“Hyung? What’re you doing?”</p><p>“Taking ugly photos.” Swinging his arm around, Baekhyun says, “Smile!”</p><p>Sehun scowls and rolls his eyes. “I wasn’t expecting you today; I have to get ready for...a date.”</p><p>“A date?” Baekhyun chirps. “<i>My</i> Sehunnie on a date? With whomst, pray tell?”</p><p>“We’re not telling anyone just yet, so please don’t say anything to anyone else.” He pulls his sweatshirt over his head, rubbing his bare arms a moment before opening a drawer of his dresser.</p><p>Baekhyun lifts a tie from a modest collection on the closet door. “This is pretty.” </p><p>“It’s a gift; I don’t really like ties.” Baekhyun nods and plays with the silk tie; he saw his dad wrapping it in tissue paper a few days before Sehun's birthday. It does feel nice, and it’s an attractive shade of blue. His dad always did have an eye for beauty.</p><p>Casually, he climbs onto Sehun’s bed, standing and bouncing lightly.</p><p>“Hyung!" Sehun laughs. "Are you a little kid? You're gonna break my bed doing that.”</p><p>“Oh, relax. It can take more than this; you know that.” Sehun’s cheeks redden, and he turns around.</p><p>Baekhyun stops his hopping, bending his knees a little to ride out the last few bounces, and fastens the end of the tie around itself, fashioning a loop. He drops the tie over Sehun's head and pulls it taut.</p><p>“Hyun—?!” Sehun’s hands dig into his neck, trying to pull the silk away. He’s bigger but not stronger than Baekhyun, and as he struggles to breathe, he falls to one knee, then the other. Baekhyun sits on the bed and holds Sehun’s legs with his feet, pulling straight up.</p><p>Crime documentaries always have cops and experts calmly relating the details of murder, the hows and whys certain methods work while others don’t or what happens to ultimately lead to death.</p><p>It all sounds simple. Death is when the heart stops beating. Humans are very resilient, however, and even if the brain welcomes death, the physical body does not, and it fights.</p><p>Once, Baekhyun found a nearly roadkilled squirrel in the park while on a walk with Mongryong. The poor thing had been run over by an electric bicycle, and its insides were on its outside. Even with no possible hope for recovery, it still tried to drag itself off the sidewalk and out of imminent danger. Out in the open, exposed, it was vulnerable. Instinct told it to run away.</p><p>Sehun’s instincts have him clawing at the tie around his throat, reaching at impossible angles for Baekhyun. Leaning backward to loosen the tension, then forward to break it—</p><p>He passes out. </p><p>He’s not dead, yet. Baekhyun tucks his arms around Sehun’s chest and hauls him to the closet. It takes some doing, dragging dead weight. Movies make it look easy. Once they're finally at the closet, Baekhyun's sweaty and breathing hard. He takes a short break before propping the deadweight against the wall. He secures the tail end of the noose to the metal clothing rod and sets Sehun down as though kneeling, held upright by the tie.</p><p>Now he just has to wait for Sehun to asphyxiate. Hopefully, he won’t come to enough to struggle. Oxygen deprivation kills off brain cells within five minutes; any longer leads to coma, seizure, or death.</p><p>Wiping his forehead with a tissue, Baekhyun almost throws it in the trash bin before pocketing it, instead.</p><p>Better to be cautious.</p><p>He pulls out his own phone and sits on the desk chair, swiveling back and forth. He doesn't open the text from Sehun's phone and opens his email, instead.</p><p>Minutes crawl by. He looks up every so often, anxiety making him twitchy. Nobody else is home, but they could return any minute, which Baekhyun has prepared for but would rather not deviate from his main plan.</p><p>Sehun slumps more loosely, gravity finishing Baekhyun’s work. His lips are blue, and his face is swollen.</p><p>Putting his phone to sleep, Baekhyun leans forward, holding it beneath Sehun’s nose. The glass doesn’t fog, and there’s no thump of life beneath his fingers against Sehun’s carotid.</p><p>Oh Sehun is dead.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The sudden death shocks all who knew him, and after the initial surprise and depression comes gossip. Did Sehun kill himself because of the older man he was seeing? Had he not wanted to see him? Was he being forced?</p><p>Nobody knows the mysterious lover's identity. Baekhyun's fine with that. It can be revealed at the end, to neatly tie up the package of justice and its gift tag of revenge.</p><p>His dad is noticeably depressed, more tired than usual. It's the soul tired rather than physical tired, and if it was anyone else, Baekhyun might feel sorry for him.</p><p>"I hope you're proud," he claims. "My friend is dead because of you."</p><p>"Son, I had no idea he was felt that way. We were good! He was normally so open with me..."</p><p>"Apparently, he just said what he thought you wanted to hear, because he didn't feel safe." Baekhyun leaves him at the kitchen table</p><p>His dad turns so the shower strikes his back. Baekhyun slams his palms against the glass door.</p><p>“Hey, Dad!”</p><p>With a shout, the man spins, slips, and falls. His arms flail, upsetting the collection of shampoo and conditioner bottles, and his head strikes the lip of the tub with a dull thud as his elbow strikes through the glass door.</p><p>He’s out cold, not even the spray of the shower directly on his face stirs him. Blood swirls down the bottom of the tub, chasing itself to the drain. Plucking the washcloth from his grip, Baekhyun drops it over the prone man’s face.</p><p>It doesn't take much water for someone to drown. There doesn't even need to be water; the body reacts to incoming water by forcing the airway closed, and the brain doesn't get oxygen.</p><p>However it happens, it'll look like an unfortunate accident.</p><p>Baekhyun waits by the shattered door until he's sure his dad's not getting up, about two crossword puzzles later. </p><p>He calls an ambulance from his bedroom. "I think I killed my dad."</p><p>Medics declare the man dead at the scene.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun's dad couldn't die before his beneficiary. For him to die, his beneficiary had to die. One couldn't outlive the other.</p><p>Days later, Baekhyun gets a call from a detective and is invited to a conference at the police station. The detective is an older, grandfatherly sort of man, although his eyes are sharp and alert.</p><p>They exchange pleasantries; Baekhyun denies an offer of coffee or tea, and they sit across from one another in the detective's office.</p><p>"Are you aware of any medication your father was taking?" Baekhyun shakes his head. Aside from daily vitamins and maybe a little blue pill, he can't recall any prescriptions. "Nothing for sleep? No tranquilizers?"</p><p>Baekhyun shakes his head again and wonders why it's being brought up.</p><p>"The medical examiner found high levels of sleeping pills in your dad's system. Not enough for an overdose, but certainly enough to make him fuzzy and sick. You don't know how that would get there?"</p><p>"I don't know. It's possible they were his? I didn't stay at his place very often, and I had my own medicine cabinet in the bathroom."</p><p>The detective sighs and nods. "That's what I thought, but I wanted to confirm it." He stands and walks around the desk, holding out a hand and gesturing to the door. "Your mother came to us, claiming to have poisoned your dad."</p><p>"She what?!" Baekhyun follows the detective down a series of halls, open rooms with desks narrowing to white-walled halls with doors on one wall and framed photos, certificates, and newspaper clippings on the other. Beside a door with a plaque engraved with "Interview Room" is a similar door with a small window in it. Inside it is a small, dark room with a table, chairs, and recording equipment.</p><p>A woman glances at them, bows her head, and continues transcribing the conversation in the interview room.</p><p>Baekhyun sees his mom, facing him with a table and another officer between them. She looks tired; she hasn't washed her hair for a couple days, and it shows.</p><p>"Explain it to me again, Mrs. Byun. What are you saying?"</p><p>“My son would never harm anyone. He’s always done his best for me, more than any child should have to do.”</p><p>“I understand your feelings, Mrs. Byun, but he called it in and confessed to 'thinking' he killed his father. However, our investigation so far leads us to believe that it was just a household accident. He says he scared his father when he opened the bathroom door. No criminal intent, just guilt over something out of his control.”</p><p>“That's true! Because <i>I</i> killed him. I gave him some of my sleeping medicine. We had met earlier, because I foolishly thought he’d give me the paperwork in person— He didn’t. He always drinks his coffee black and disgustingly bitter; it covers up the taste of anything. I crushed some of my pills and dumped them in before giving it to him.”</p><p>“How many pills did you add?”</p><p>She shakes her head, slumping so she's lying on an arm. “I don’t remember exactly. A few. There were still some left; I take three every night to help me relax.</p><p>“What you have to know about my husband, officer," she continues, sitting upright again, "is that he was a horrible man. Sometimes, he could be civil and pleasant, but there was always conniving judgment beneath every back-handed compliment. My oldest son saw it before I did, and he left as soon as he could, but Baekhyun—my baby—he stayed with me through everything.” She drops her head into her hands, clinging to her hair. "I just wanted to be <i>rid of him,</i> once and for all. If only I'd done it sooner, maybe poor Sehun-ah would still be alive, too..."</p><p>Baekhyun steps back until he's leaning against the wall. He knows the detective is watching him, but he doesn't see him, only looking at his mother.</p><p>This is all wrong. It should be over; she should be <i>free</i>. Free from him, free from everything. This isn’t according to plan at all, and it was so simple: </p><p>Step one: Kill Sehun, revealing via suicide note that he and Mr. Byun were in an allegedly romantic relationship. </p><p>Step two: Kill Dad, suggesting that he couldn’t bear life without his young lover or the guilt of driving him to suicide. It didn't go as planned, but it had worked out advantageously.</p><p>Step three: Live bastard-free.</p><p>The detective clears his throat and gently squeezes Baekhyun's shoulder. “I'm sorry, son... Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but it’s not your fault.”</p><p>Except it <i>is</i>. He should’ve prepared for everything and told her to go shopping or visit Grandma or something, <i>anything</i> to keep her out of the way and safe.</p><p>"Detective, who inherits if a beneficiary dies?"</p><p>Off-guard, the detective falters. "Uh, usually their next of kin, unless stated otherwise in a will."</p><p>So Sehun inherits, after all—or his family does. It'll be more than enough to cover the funeral costs.</p><p>"I have something to tell you. You may not believe me, but it's the truth.</p><p>"Before that, though, could I make a phone call? I'd like my boyfriend to pick up my dog and look after him for a while..."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have no idea if the dad's death is plausible; bathtub/shower deaths are quite rare, although it only takes a little bit of water to drown someone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It just seemed dramatic in my head.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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